preview

Operation Astonia

Decent Essays

On September 5, 1944 Allied bombs began to fall from the sky onto the port town of Le Havre, France. The second most important port city in France, according to www.encyclopedia.com, was targeted by the Ally troops and bombed in order to keep the German Army from using the port city as a gateway to an invasion of Great Britain. Many civilians fled the town on foot after the Germans captured the town in 1940, but many others who remained in the town were injured or killed during the bombings. Nearly 5,000 civilians met their deaths during the attack deemed Operation Astonia, nearly 80,000 people lost their homes. (www.worldheritagesite.org) The bombings continued over five days and destroyed 12,500 buildings. Le Havre was only one of the 1,570 cities/towns that were bombed in France during World War II. (en.wikipedia.org) Throughout World War II the town of Le Havre fell victim to 132 Allied bombings. Operation Astonia, described as “the storm of iron and fire” (Clout 1999, p. 187) was the most destructive of the bombings. In addition to …show more content…

Cathedrals and town squares from before World War II can still be found throughout the city. Le Havre today attracts many tourists interested in the historical architecture and cemeteries. The tourism, as well as shipping, oil refining, and manufacturing are the main industries that support the French city today. (/www.encyclopedia.com) These industries have caused the city to grow substantially, but like during the war, the city’s population fluctuates. Le Havre is home to 175,497 residents as of 2010. (http://data.un.org) The people of Le Havre have ensured that the French city will always be one of the largest and most influential cities in the country, and they have always worked hard to make their city great, even before World War

Get Access